b'12 years continuous running of this event.pranks played on trips by herself and Marg Gill. We heard fond memories of how the club and itsMarg was always up for a laugh! The first was while members have always been up for some competitioneveryone else was out driving they decided to catch whether it was between members and other clubs andbugs and flies and fill Dave Purdies mesh fly proof with many varied games and contests at the events.marquee tent. He came back wondering how they Weve held dress up events, annual Christmas partiesgot in. Ornella and Marg watched Dave meticulously for the kids to play and enjoy a visit from Santa,looking over the tent for holes before eventually letting presentation nights, trivia nights and plenty more.Dave know they spent the atiernoon using the kids bug Beachport and Robe have become an annual staplecatcher. The second prank involved a little bush tucker. for the club with many families attending over theThey made small rum balls from moist sawdust found years and forming strong bonds. The extended clubin a tree, rolled them in sugar and then used left over families have always been a feature of the club noFerrero Rocher wrappers to serve them in. When the mater what age the children (or adults), everyonefellas came back from their drive the tasty morsels looks after each others like their own.were offered along with other treats. Most were very The annual Snow Trip up around Woods Point ispolite until they caught on although Nigel Lloyd didnt another annual event looked forward to by so manyhold back, spiting them out saying they were bloody within the club. The snow trips are so popular that weawful. Nigel was known to be a joker and prankster usually run two!himself adding to the light-hearted atmosphere. No The Mud Chicks group was originally formed todeaths, just a few giggles had. assist families going through difficult times with anAdam was able to fill us in a little on the more recent illness of a main family member or even the arrivalhistory of different vehicles that weve had within the of a newborn baby. The Mud Chicks would work outclubimprovements in tyres, technology and various meals to be made and delivered to the family to ease theaccessories. We even heard all about the transition of burden. They used to meet one Wednesday a month,driving lights on members carsfrom halogen, to HID, usually at the old Pancake Parlour late evening and theto LEDs and the prevalence of light bars. women were able to get out and catch up whilst the menWe did manage to get a group photo towards the stayed home with young kids. Theyd plan fundraisers,tail end of the nightbut only squeezed in about half social night events and other club activities.of the total who atended. Thanks to Shez Tedford for Do you know how the Nappers Jokers Hat cametaking photos throughout the night, with past and to be? Well thanks to Zach and Jan we now know thatpresent members enjoying a chat, laughing at good Jan borrowed it from Zach to take on one of theirtimes shared together and thinking about the next trip early trips with the intention of creating a reason toand getting back on the tracks. gather together at the end of each day. If the groupThe party continued until close to midnight wasnt able to have a campfire there was still a reason(Im sure there were a few who kept going til the to gather together and share stories of the day. On thewee hours of the morning). It was an exceptional first night of the trip Jan nominated someone to wearcelebration befitting our remarkable club and its 50th the hat for the entire next day. It didnt mater if youyear of being. were in the middle of the outback or in the middle ofCongratulations to the Geelong Four Wheel Drive a supermarketthe whole next day you had to wearClub, Werner Brocks, Les Crowe and other founding that damn hat. Subsequent nights around the campfiremembers and everyone who has been a member or (or just around the hat) the hat would be passed ontohelped the club in so many different ways over the whoever had done the funniest, silliest, craziest, oryears. I doubt anyone would have thought theyd be maybe even dumbest thing from the day. Althoughcelebrating 50 continuous years in 2023. The event not everyone may have enjoyed wearing the hat at thewas made possible thanks to the efforts of Geoff time, it was a great source of fun and laughter for theDavey, the committee and the special working group entire convoy and is still talked about to this day.who dedicated themselves to organizing a night to Ornella recalled some of the more memorableremember.Life Members L to R - Trevor Brocks, Brian Tanner, Werner Brocks,Presidents L to R - John Bell, Geoff Davey, George Heather, Dave David Dixon, Alex Huybens, Adrian Ellis, Dave Purdie, Shez Tedford,Hamman, Adam Cameron, Werner Brocks, Mick Riley, Byron WilleyWarren Tedford, Allie Hamann, Dave Hamann18 TRACKWATCH|June 2023'